Value - I dont mind it being a bit expensive, but I better feel like im getting my moneys worth. Big difference between $200 for a completely self supported event vs one that has aid stations, food, entertainment after, etc. Im even ok with the RD making profit off the event. They do a lot of work and deserve to be paid, just make sure its reasonable and worth it for everyone
Course - Challenging but doable. I woulda been pissed if I traveled to kansas for unbound only to find the first 10 miles wasnt ridable for even most of the pros. All that training and prep time, money for travel and the race, and in this case, rebuilding/replacing your bike. Thats kinda shitty. Also prefer a 50-75 mi option. Kinda annoying that so many events are a full day in the saddle.
Location - prefer it one day driveable for most but I do like the idea of a destination ride once or twice a year
one of the things noone seemed to mention above, but is important to me is inclusivity of the event. Are they trying to grow the set of folks that ride bikes, or are they actively or via the status quo making it harder for more folks to come out. Are they saving space for women racers? How are they planning for nonbinary and trans riders? What have they done to include BIPOC folks?
Some things that have come up recently, which are hard to look for in advance but are things which have made me avoid promoters forever after.
-Promoter lies about registration structure, numbers, or deadlines. A small size national promoter mis-represented block pricing to increase registration fees due to low pre-registration numbers.
-Promoter threatens to cancel the event if pre-registration does not meet an arbitrary undisclosed minimum as event day approaches.
This was a race that had been going on since 2016 and was acquired by a new promoter in 2024. They sent this email 6 weeks before the start date for an event that usually has around ~150 registrants by race day. Pre-reg never even hit 150 and the event continued like normal, a total waste of time and added stress for no reason. I’d registered for this event every year, recommended it to many people and saw them follow through and show up year after year. After getting this email last year I’ll never sign up again and recommended against it to everyone I know.
That’s it, I got so worked up remembering I forgot to finish my post.
Normally it wouldn’t have bothered me too much but my first A race of the year had been canceled 6 months earlier due to low-registration, even though they offered day of and already had 90 people on the books. Seeing all my hard work potentially evaporate twice in one year was too much.
The Standard Deluxe race was canceled for this year and moved to May 2027 which is so crowded with events I won’t be able to do it again anyway but I’m still sure to avoid the promoter.
Having seen this from both sides, it’s just a tough situation. As a promotor, you often have to cut big checks and commit well in advance of the race (timing/plates, food, porta potties, etc.). And if everyone is waiting until that last minute to check the weather, the promotor can be deep in the red if it turns out to be a crappy day and nobody signs up. These promotors aren’t typically big companies that can play the odds and take a big hit at a single race. It’s a thankless business and nobody is getting rich promoting bike races. I think the best thing a promotor can do is provide a significant discount for early registration and try to get people to sign up early. But even with a discount, people still tend to sit on the fence and wait for the weather forecast. I’m certainly guilty at times.
In the case of the Skyway Epic promoter, he’s got a full-time job and family and the races he put on were a labor of love. Participation in his Miss. Gravel Cup 100 mile races had declined to the point that there were more entries in the 50+ age group of the 50 mile race than the entire 100 mile field. Hard to justify taking the financial risk when the margin is so thin. And to justify that much time away from home.
Prior to Ordinary Epics acquiring the race in 2020 the high water mark was probably <75 racers going back to 2012. The event had a huge boost right after COVID and then the first year it looked like it was going to miss the previous year’s registration numbers it was canceled. Again, with 90 on the books, $7500+ in the bank 2 weeks left of pre-reg and day of reg offered. Whatever the margin, that is not good stewardship.
I’m not apathetic to promoter difficulties and have spent a lot of time, energy, and money out of my own pocket to volunteer and help over the years. But if a race already has higher pre-reg than all the years going back to 2012 except the previous 4, and it still gets canceled, that’s going to frustrate anyone who’s been participating long-term.
The Southeast MTB and Gravel race scene has seen declining attendance, and this year it’s below the pre-COVID trend. I can’t help but think some of this is a recursive spiral where low registration leads to less events, which leads to lower registration. More than half the people who pre-registered for the canceled 2025 Skyway Epic didn’t show up to either the 2025 rain date, nor to the 2026 edition. Maybe the 2026 edition would have been down anyway but it’s hard not to think that the previous cancellation contributed.
